Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has announced plans to recruit and train 10,000 citizens to join the Joint Task Force (JTF) to help restore peace in areas affected by bandit attacks. Bago stated this during a condolence visit to the Internally Displaced Persons from Rijau and Magama local government areas, whose communities have been under attack by bandits and are camping in Kontagora.

He said while he discharges his constitutional duty of protecting the lives and property of the citizens as Chief Security Officer of the State, citizens should not also watch the criminals killing them as they wish without resistance. “We are surrounded by enemies, but we will not give up. The Constitution gives us the right to defend our lives and property, and we will do just that. There is no going back,” Bago added

He ruled out any move to negotiate with bandits or pay ransom to secure the release of kidnapped victims in the state.

He said negotiating with them or paying a ransom amount to empowering the criminals, and as such, the insecurity would not end.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, in a statement, cited the governor as saying it had reached a point where people must defend themselves, warning that ransom payments would only turn kidnapping into a thriving business.

“I will not negotiate with bandits. I will not pay ransom. The moment we start paying, they will open shop on our heads and keep kidnapping people,” he said, describing the situation as a state of war that required collective resistance.

Bago also banned mining activities across the eight LGAs of Niger North Senatorial District (Zone C) of the state, covering Magama, Kontagora, Rijau, Wushishi, Mariga, Borgu, Mashegu, and Agwara. (Daily Trust)